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Abstract:

Floor grinding- and cleaning body (1) for machine-based processing of
structured floorings (2) comprising a base body (10) which is provided on
a first side (12) with a resilient, textured surface (14), a processing
layer (20) that is arranged on the textured surface (14) of the base body
(10) and a hook-and-loop adaption layer (30), which is arranged on a
second side (16) of the base body (10) opposed to the first side (12),
wherein the textured surface (14) comprises a resilient burling
structure, wherein the burls (18) thereof are designed to be able to
treat deep areas (4) of a structured surface (3) of a flooring (2).

Claims:

1. Floor grinding- and cleaning-body (1) for machine-based processing of
structured floorings (2), comprising: a. a base body (10), which is
provided on a first side (12) with a resilient, textured surface (14); b.
a processing layer (20), that is arranged on the textured surface (14) of
the base body (10); and c. a hook-and-loop adaption layer (30), which is
arranged on a second side (16) of the base body (10) opposed to the first
side (12); wherein d. the textured surface (14) comprises a resilient
burling structure, wherein the burls (18) thereof are designed to be able
to treat deep areas (4) of a structured surface (3) of a flooring (2).

2. Floor grinding- and cleaning-body according to claim 1, wherein the
processing layer (20) comprises abrasive particles (22) that are embedded
in a resin.

4. Floor grinding- and cleaning-body according to claim 1, wherein the
processing layer (20) is flocked, in particular flocked with an
artificial or a natural fiber (24) or wherein the processing layer (20)
is flocked with particles made from a foam of melamin resin.

5. Floor grinding- and cleaning-body according to claim 1, wherein the
base body (10) and the processing layer (20) consist of at least one
resilient rubber-like material, wherein the processing layer (20) and the
base body (10) is/are interspersed with abrasive particles.

6. Floor grinding- and cleaning-body (1) for machine-based processing of
structured floorings, comprising: a. a base body (10), which is provided
on a first side (12) with a resilient, textured surface (14); b. a
processing layer (20) that is arranged on the textured surface (14) of
the base body (10); c. the processing layer (20) comprises abrasive
particles (22) embedded in a resin, wherein d. the textured surface (14)
comprises a resilient burling structure, wherein the burls (18) thereof
are designed to be able to treat deep areas (4) of a structured surface
(3) of a flooring (2).

7. Floor grinding- and cleaning-body according to claim 1 wherein the
burls (18) comprise a pyramid shape, a pyramid frustum shape, a cone
shape, a cone frustum shape or in cross-section a wave-shape.

17. Floor grinding- and cleaning-body according to claim 1, wherein the
processing layer (20) comprises an elastic abrasive particle carrier
(26), in particular a fiber fleece, that covers the burls (18) and which
is coated with abrasive particles (22).

18. Floor grinding- and cleaning-body according to claim 1, wherein the
grinding- and cleaning-body is realized as round disc, as rectangular
blank or in a delta-format.

19. Method for machine-based processing of structured floorings,
comprising the following steps: a. providing a floor cleaning machine or
a floor grinding machine; b. providing a floor grinding- and
cleaning-body (1) with a base body (10), which is provided on a first
side (12) with a resilient textured surface (14) having a burling
structure and which comprises a processing layer (20) that is arranged on
the textured surface (14) of the base body (10), wherein the resilient,
textured surface (14) comprises a burling structure, wherein the burls
(18) thereof are designed to be able to treat deep areas (4) of a
structured surface (3) of a flooring (2); c. fixing the floor grinding-
and cleaning-body (1) to the floor cleaning machine or the floor grinding
machine; and d. processing the structured flooring with the floor
cleaning machine or the floor grinding machine, wherein the burls (18) of
the resilient burling structure (14) of the floor grinding- and
cleaning-body (1) penetrate into deep areas (4) of the structured
flooring (2) in order to process it there.

20. Method according to claim 19, wherein the step of fixing the floor
grinding- and cleaning-body (1) to the floor cleaning machine or the
floor grinding machine comprises the step of mere putting the floor
cleaning machine or the floor grinding machine on top of the floor
grinding- and cleaning-body (1) lying on the floor.

21. (canceled)

Description:

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a floor grinding- and cleaning-body for
machine-based processing of structured floorings. The floor grinding- and
cleaning-bodies are used in order to clean floorings made of polymer with
structured surfaces that are difficult to clean. The floor grinding- and
cleaning-bodies can also be used to grind structured floorings in order
to coat them again.

2. PRIOR ART

[0002] Floors made of polymer are used in many fields of application, for
instance, in healthcare, in industry and business, airports, office and
administration buildings as well as in residential buildings. Besides
floorings made of polymer with a planar surface, floorings made of
polymer are available with a distinctive, i.e. macroscopic, tactual and
well-visible surface structure that makes the floorings appear more
natural or reduce the danger of slipping. For instance, floorings are
known with a shale structure, wood structure, hammer blow surface or with
round burling. The structure of such floors may comprise the height from
about 0.3 mm up to some millimeters and thus differs significantly from
essentially smooth floorings with common microscopic surface roughness.

[0003] A thorough cleaning or grinding of such floorings with distinctive
surface structure constitutes a big problem, which has not been optimally
solved up to now. Known cleaning products and systems, like, for
instance, brushing machines with brush drums or single-disc machines,
trio-machines or automatic cleaning machines that are used in combination
with grinding or cleaning pads do not reach deeper areas of the textured
surface, so that a thorough cleaning or processing of the whole surface
is not possible. In particular, dirt from deeper areas of the textured
surface can be removed only insufficiently, since the grinding or
cleaning means only reach the elevated areas of the structured surface of
the flooring. A single-disc machine of this type with a corresponding
polishing pad is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,532.

[0004] When soft brush drums are used, the deeper areas of the surface
structure of the floor are reached indeed, but the overall cleaning
effect is very low.

[0005] In order to increase the service life of the polymer floors and to
improve the optical appearance of the floors, floors made of polymer are
also coated with PU lacquer. During refurbishment work of such PU-coated
floorings, the old PU coating has to be ground off before the floor can
be coated again. However, there are no known grinding products from prior
art that could be used for thoroughly grinding structured floorings. Also
resilient grinding discs always grind only the elevations of the
flooring, while the deepenings remain unprocessed.

[0006] From DE 202 15 389 U1, a grinding body in particular for cleaning
of surfaces is known which comprises a base body which at least comprises
a grinding means on one side, while the base body comprises elevations on
the side where the grinding means are present. Through this, it can be
achieved in an advantageous manner that substances that are detached from
the surface to be grinded or polished or abrasion of the grinding body
can be accumulated in the cavities that are generated by the elevations.
Moreover, the elevations have the effect that the abrasion of the
grinding body is increased. Agents embedded in additional means shall be
dispensed in a more selective manner by the elevations. However, it is
not apparent how such a cleaning body would be appropriate for the
machine-based processing of structured floorings.

[0007] An abrasive sheet-like grinding means of a carrier layer and a
second layer made of glued-on elements is known from US 2008/0318506 A1.
The second layer is coated with abrasive material. With such an
arrangement, a network of tracks shall be formed between the elements of
the second layer through which air and dust particles are evaporated
during grinding, over the processed surface.

[0008] Furthermore, sponges for cleaning of pots and dishes are known
which comprise a resilient, slightly textured surface. These sponges for
cleaning of pots and dishes are used for manual dish cleaning. They do
not have a defined removal rate and are, by principle, not appropriate
for machine-based processing of floorings.

[0009] Furthermore, for instance from U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,964, polishing
sponges with a resilient, textured surface are known that are used in
combination with liquid polishing means for polishing of automobile
lacquered surfaces. The polishing sponges themselves have no grinding or
cleaning effect.

[0010] Thus, the present invention solves the problem of providing a
grinding- and cleaning-body for machine-based processing of structured
floorings.

3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The above-mentioned problem is solved by a floor grinding- and
cleaning-body for machine-based processing of structured floorings
according to patent claims 1 and 6, the use of such a floor grinding- and
cleaning-body according to claim 20 and a method of machine-based
processing of structured floorings according to claim 18.

[0012] In particular, the above-mentioned problem is solved by a floor
grinding- and cleaning-body for machine-based processing of structured
floorings, comprising a base body which is provided on a first side with
a resilient, textured surface, a processing layer that is arranged on the
textured surface of the base body and a hook-and-loop adaption layer
which is arranged on a second side of the base body opposed to the first
side, wherein the textured surface comprises a resilient burling
structure, wherein the burls thereof are designed to be able to treat
deep areas of a structured surface of a flooring.

[0013] Since the processing layer is arranged on a resilient textured
surface of the base body, it is possible to reach also deep areas of the
structure of a structured flooring by the floor grinding- and
cleaning-body and thus also to grind or to clean the deep areas in a
machine-based manner. The resilient texture presses the processing layer
also into deep areas of the floor structure in order to carry out a
processing on the bottom of these deep areas, i.e. a cleaning or a
grinding. By means of the hook-and-loop adaption layer that is arranged
on a second side of the base body opposed to the first side, the floor
grinding- and cleaning-body can be attached easily and safely to a
corresponding machine, whereby a good force transmission from the machine
to the floor grinding- and cleaning-body is given.

[0014] The textured surface of the base body comprises a resilient burling
structure. Due to the burling structure, elevations result on the base
body, and also corresponding elevations on the processing layer, so that
the processing layer is pressed by the base body into deeper areas of the
structured surface of the flooring and can also process the deeper areas
of the structured surface. Due to the resilience of the base body, the
tips of the individual burls are pressed onto the bottom of the
deepenings of the surface structure of the flooring and can clean or
grind there, respectively. Furthermore, the resilience of the base body
ensures that the individual burl in a floor grinding- and cleaning-body
that moves relatively to the flooring carries out a roller coaster ride
through the valleys and over the mountains of the structured surface.
Accordingly, the burls stay always in contact with the structured surface
of the flooring and thus process all surface areas of the floor
essentially in the same manner, namely the valleys, the mountains and the
transitions between mountain and valley. By the structured surface of the
floor grinding- and cleaning-body, in addition, air is entrained during
the grinding process and directed to the grinding surface, so that the
grinding surface is cooled, which prevents a clogging of the floor
grinding- and cleaning-body and enhances the grinding result. In
addition, the generated grinding dust is removed from the grinding
surface.

[0015] Preferably, the textured surface comprises a resilient burling
structure which is adapted to the textured surface of the flooring to be
processed. By the adaption of the burling structure to the surface
structure of the flooring, a sufficient grinding pressure is applied to
the deep areas of the flooring by the single burl, although other burls
rest on the elevated areas of the flooring and thus are compressed more
strongly. The adaption of the burling structure to the flooring to be
processed can be carried out, for instance, in view of the elasticity,
the shape, the arrangement, the distance and the size of the burls of the
burling structure.

[0016] Preferably, the processing layer comprises abrasive particles that
are embedded in a resin. Such abrasive particles consist, for instance,
of sandstone, pumice stone, quartz, corundum, silicon carbide or similar
hard materials. They cause the actual grinding- or cleaning-effect of the
grinding and cleaning body. For the secure fixation of the abrasive
particles to the base body they are embedded in a resin. Typically,
abrasive particles comprise a defined particle size, so that the grinding
effect of the grinding and cleaning body can be adapted to the material
to be grinded and to the desired surface roughness as well as to the
removal rate.

[0017] In a further preferred embodiment, the processing layer comprises a
resin coating without abrasive particles or without cleaning powder,
respectively. If the flooring shall not be grinded, but only cleaned from
tightly adhering dirt, the processing layer only needs to comprise a
resin coating without cleaning powder and abrasive particles. This
powder-free resin coating may, for example, be executed open-cell or
fleece-like. By doing so, a good cleaning effect is achieved by the resin
coating, wherein the surface of the flooring is not affected and thus is
conserved. In particular, tightly adhering wax layers can be easily
removed thereby.

[0018] Preferably, the processing layer is flocked, in particular with an
artificial or a natural fiber, or it is flocked with particles of
melamine resin foam. A flocking with artificial or natural fibers or with
particles of melamine resin foam also increases the cleaning effect of
the grinding and cleaning body and reaches, in particular, also the
bottom of very fine and deep structures of the flooring, without damaging
the flooring. Hereby, tightly adhering dirt or old wax layers,
respectively, can be removed also from deepenings of the flooring without
affecting the surface of the flooring.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the base body and the processing layer
consist of at least one resilient rubber-like material, wherein the
processing layer or the processing layer and the base body being
interspersed with abrasive particles. By doing so, in particular, floor
grinding- and cleaning-bodies with comparatively small burls can be
manufactured in which the abrasive material is "rubber bounded", i.e.
embedded in a rubber-like elastic material. Such grinding and cleaning
bodies are, in particular, suitable for processing of floors with low
surface structure, for instance a hammer blow structure. It is
advantageous that rubber bounded floor grinding- and cleaning-bodies
comprise a very long life time. Besides that, they can be produced easily
by injection molding without any further coating processes being
necessary.

[0020] The above-mentioned problem is also solved by a floor grinding- and
cleaning-body for machine-based processing of structured floorings
comprising a base body which is provided on a first side with a
resilient, textured surface, a processing layer that is arranged on the
textured surface of the base body, wherein the processing layer comprises
abrasive particles that are embedded in a resin, wherein the textured
surface comprises a resilient burling structure, wherein the burls
thereof are designed to be able to treat deep areas of a structured
surface of a flooring.

[0021] Also here it is possible to reach deeper areas of a structured
flooring with a floor grinding- and cleaning-body and thus to grind or to
clean them in a machine-based manner, since the processing layer is
arranged on a textured, resilient surface of the base body. The resilient
texture presses the processing layer into the deep areas of the floor
structure. By means of the abrasive particles that are embedded in a
resin material--or in a similar material--a defined cleaning- or
grinding-effect is achieved that can be adapted exactly to the respective
material and the desired grinding- or cleaning-task. In addition, it is
ensured by the embedding that the abrasive particles adhere safely even
during dynamic load, due to the resilient textured surface and the
intrusion in lower structures, thereby ensuring a good life time of the
floor grinding- and cleaning-body. In particular, such floor grinding-
and cleaning-bodies are appropriate for big and heavy floor treating
machines that comprise a bristle disc. Here, the floor grinding- and
cleaning-body is simply placed on the floor, and then the floor treating
machine is put on top of the floor grinding- and cleaning-body. Then, the
bristle disc moves the floor grinding- and cleaning-body along with it
via friction fit. Here, a hook-and-loop connection is not necessary.

[0022] Preferably, the burls comprise a pyramid-shape, a pyramid-frustum
shape, a cone shape, a cone-frustum shape or in cross-section a
wave-shape. Comparatively pointed elevations of the burls result for the
pyramid-shape and the cone-shape, so that fine-structured floorings can
be processed in a better manner. The pyramid-frustum shape and the
cone-frustum shape lead to a flattened tip, which is advantageous for
more rough-structured floorings, in particular for burling floorings.
Also, the removal rate of such burl-shapes is better than with pointed
shapes. The burls, which comprise wave-shape, as seen in the
cross-section, comprise a rounded tip and then change into a more blunt
burling area. Thus, the burls are appropriate for fine floorings as well
as for more rough-structured floorings. The wave-shape is also
particularly simple to manufacture.

[0023] Preferably, the burls comprise a height of 2 mm to 50 mm, more
preferably a height of 10 mm to 20 mm. Such dimensions lead to a good
ratio between the flexibility of the burls and the stiffness of the burls
that is necessary for the cleaning effect.

[0024] Preferably, the burls comprise a distance between each other of 3
mm to 50 mm, even more preferably 10 mm to 20 mm. With such distances,
the used floor grinding- and cleaning-body can be optimally adapted to
the specific flooring. By doing so, it is ensured, on the one hand, that
also fine deepenings of the flooring can be processed, but, on the other
hand, also a high removal rate on the surface is given.

[0025] Preferably, the base body consists of a resilient foam material.
Such a resilient foam material can be easily manufactured in the desired
degrees of hardness and with the desired textured surface. Furthermore,
the resilient foam material can be provided or coated with a processing
layer very well.

[0026] Preferably, the foam material comprises a compression resistance
according to DIN 53577 and ISO 3386, respectively, of 20-60 (2-6 kPa at
40% material compression). Thus, the foam material is, on the one hand,
soft enough for pressing the burls with the processing layer into the
deepenings of the flooring and, on the other hand, this compression
resistance ensures a sufficient down force and thus a good removal rate.

[0027] Preferably, the base body comprises a thickness of 10 mm to 60 mm,
more preferably of 15 mm to 30 mm and even more preferably of 20 mm to 25
mm. By such thicknesses of the base body, the required resilience of the
floor grinding- and cleaning-body is provided which ensures that the
processing layer is able to penetrate into deeper areas of the structured
surface with the necessary pressure, while other structured surface areas
of the processing layer are able to process more elevated areas of the
flooring.

[0028] Preferably, the base body consists of a resilient polymer material.
Instead of a foam material, also a resilient polymer material can be used
for the base body with the profiled surface. Then, the burls can
preferably be provided with resilient bellows.

[0029] Preferably, the hook-and-loop adaption layer comprises a
hook-and-loop velour layer. A hook-and-loop velour layer connects with a
hook layer of a hook-and-loop system very well and thus provides a good,
slip-free force transmission from the machine to the floor grinding- and
cleaning-body.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the processing layer comprises an
elastic abrasive particle carrier--in particular a fiber fleece--that
covers the burls and is coated with abrasive particles. By the use of the
elastic abrasive particle carrier, the life time of the floor grinding-
and cleaning-body is increased, in particular, if a comparatively soft
foam material is used for the base body.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the floor grinding- and cleaning-body is
realized as a round disc, as a rectangular blank or in a delta-format.
Thus, the floor grinding- and cleaning-body can be adapted to every
machine that is used in combination with it.

[0032] The above-mentioned problem is also solved by a method for
machine-based processing of structured floorings, comprising the
following steps:

[0034] providing of a floor grinding- and cleaning-body with a base body
that is provided on a first side with a resilient textured surface and
which comprises a processing layer which is arranged on the textured
surface of the base body, wherein the resilient, textured surface
comprises a burling structure, wherein the burls thereof are designed to
be able to process deep areas of a structured surface of a flooring;

[0035] fixing the floor grinding- and cleaning-body to the floor cleaning
machine or the floor grinding machine;

[0036] processing the structured flooring with the floor cleaning machine
or the floor grinding machine, wherein the burls of the resilient
textured surface of the floor grinding- and cleaning-body penetrate into
deep areas of the structured flooring in order to process it there.

[0037] Also here, deep areas of a structured flooring can be reached by
the floor grinding- and cleaning-body and thus the entire surface of the
flooring, in particular also the valleys of the structuring down to the
bottom, can be grinded or machine cleaned with a floor treating machine,
because the processing layer is arranged on a structured resilient
surface of the base body. Thus, also a flooring with structured surface
can be thoroughly cleaned and grinded completely, which was up to now
only possible for the elevated areas of the flooring.

[0038] Preferably, the step of fixing the floor grinding- and
cleaning-body to a floor cleaning machine or to a floor grinding machine
comprises the step of mere putting the floor cleaning machine or the
floor grinding machine on top of the floor grinding- and cleaning-body
lying on the floor. The fixation of the floor grinding- and cleaning-body
to the floor cleaning machine can be done by merely placing the machine
onto the floor grinding- and cleaning-body, since it is usually heavy
enough to move the floor grinding- and cleaning-body by friction fit
along with it. A possibly present bristle disc of the floor cleaning
machine supports this fixation by friction fit. Hook-and-loop systems are
not necessary here.

[0039] Preferably, an above-described floor grinding- and cleaning-body
for machine-based processing of structured floorings is used by means of
a floor treating machine or a hand grinding machine.

4. SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0040] In the following, preferred embodiments of the present invention
are explained by means of the accompanying figures, in which shows:

[0041] FIG. 1: Floor grinding- and cleaning-body according to the
invention in a perspective view;

[0042] FIG. 2: a cross-sectional view of the floor grinding- and
cleaning-body according to the invention of FIG. 1;

[0043] FIG. 3: a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of a floor
grinding- and cleaning-body according to the invention;

[0044] FIG. 4: a cross-sectional view of the floor grinding- and
cleaning-body of FIG. 1 with a flocking;

[0045] FIG. 5: a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the floor
grinding- and cleaning-body according to the invention with an elastic
abrasive particle carrier;

[0046] FIG. 6: a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the floor
grinding- and cleaning-body according to the invention, with burls
comprising bellows;

[0047] FIG. 7A-E: different burl shapes for a floor grinding- and
cleaning-body according to the invention;

[0048] FIG. 8: a cross-sectional view of single burls of a floor grinding-
and cleaning-body according to the invention, during processing a first
exemplary structured flooring; and

[0049] FIG. 9: a cross-sectional view of single burls of a floor grinding-
and cleaning-body according to the invention, during processing of a
further exemplary structured flooring.

5. PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0050] In the following, preferred embodiments of the present invention
are described by means of the accompanying figures. Features of single
embodiments can be combined with features of other embodiments, even when
this is not expressly explained.

[0051] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a floor grinding- and cleaning-body according to
a first embodiment. The floor grinding- and cleaning-body 1 comprises a
base body 10 which is provided on a first side 12 with a resilient
textured surface 14. On the surface 14, a processing layer 20 is arranged
which gets into contact with the surface of the flooring during use and
causes the actual cleaning and grinding effect. On a second side 16
opposed to the first side 12 of the base body, in this embodiment, a
hook-and-loop adaption layer 30 is fixed. By means of this hook-and-loop
adaption layer the floor grinding- and cleaning-body 1 can be fixed
tightly but detachably to a grinding or cleaning machine.

[0052] As shown schematically in FIG. 2, the textured surface 14 consists
of a multitude of resilient burls 18. These consist preferably of the
same material as the remainder of the base body 10 and are realized
unitarily with the remainder of the base body 10. However, they can also
be made of another material. Preferably, a resilient foam material is
used for the material of the base body 10. This can for instance consist
of foamed soft polyurethane or also of foamed caoutchouc. The foam
material is elastic and comprises a compression resistance according to
DIN 53577 or ISO 3386, respectively, of 20-60. This corresponds to a
pressure of 2-6 kPa at 40% compression of the foam material.

[0053] The shape of the burls 18 can differ depending on the use case. The
person skilled in the art will design the floor grinding- and
cleaning-body in that the burling structure is adapted to the surface
structure of the floor and that an effective, optimum and complete
processing of the floor becomes possible. Therefore, the person skilled
in the art will select, among other things, the shape of the burls, the
elasticity of the burled base body, the arrangement of the burls to each
other, their distance from each other and the size of the burls according
to the structuring of the respective flooring.

[0054] In FIG. 1, the shape of the burls is, in cross-section, a
wave-shape. Other burl shapes are shown in FIGS. 7A-E, wherein FIG. 7A
shows a base body 10 with cone-shaped burls 18, FIG. 7B shows a base body
10 with cone-frustum-shaped burls 18, FIG. 7C shows a base body 10 with
pyramid-shaped burls 18, FIG. 7D a base body 10 with
pyramid-frustum-shaped burls 18 and FIG. 7E again shows a base body 10
with wave-shaped burls 18 in cross-section. However, the burls 18 may
comprise also other shapes and mixed shapes of the shown shapes. For the
processing of a polymer floor with shale-structure, advantageously a
burling structure will be chosen that is realized more pointed, for
instance a pointed pyramid structure or a cone structure, whilst for the
processing of a flooring with hammer blow structure or round-burl
structure one will rather use a burl that comprises a tip that is more
round-shaped. If rather a high removal rate is needed for the floor
grinding- and cleaning-body 1, a burl shape having a flat tip should be
chosen, for instance, a cone-frustum- or a pyramid-frustum shape. By
doing so, the contact area of the burl 18, that is coated with abrasive
particles, to the floor is larger than for pointed burl shapes, and the
grinding is thus more intensive.

[0055] Common heights h of the burls 18 are in the range from 2 mm-50 mm,
preferably 10 mm-20 mm. Such heights provide, on the one hand, the
necessary resilience and flexibility of the burls 18, but they are chosen
in that, simultaneously, the stiffness and stability of the burls 18 are
given, which is necessary for the cleaning and grinding effect.
Preferably, the burls 18 are arranged, as shown in FIG. 1, in a regular
pattern at the surface 14, wherein the distance a of the burls from each
other is preferably in the range from 3 mm-50 mm. The smaller the
distance a is chosen, the higher is the removal rate of the floor
grinding- and cleaning-body 1. Also a distance a of 10 mm-20 mm has
proven to be successful for particular grinding and cleaning tasks.

[0056] Common thicknesses D of the base body 10 are in the range from 10
mm-60 mm, preferably 15 mm-30 mm, and even more preferably 20 mm-25 mm.
The thickness D of the base body 10, the height h of the burls 18 and
their distance a is chosen in that the compression of the burls 18 during
the use of the floor grinding- and cleaning-body 1 is in the range for
the necessary down force of the machine to the floor--or in general onto
the work piece--that allows, on the one hand, a sufficiently high removal
of the material and, on the other hand, also a sufficient penetration
into the deep areas of the surface structure. Tests have shown that a
compression of the burls of 30-70% provides sufficient grinding and
cleaning results for structured polymer floors. Thus, the textured
surface 14 of the floor grinding- and cleaning-body 1 can adapt itself to
the structure of the flooring, so that the grinding pressure is
approximately equal on the entire grinding surface that means in view of
the elevations, the valleys and transitions of the surface structure.

[0057] The hook-and-loop adaption layer 30 can be made of a hook-and-loop
velour or a hook-and-loop fleece which is glued to the second side 16 of
the base body 10 with an appropriate adhesive. The floor grinding- and
cleaning-body 1 can be fixed to a grinding disc or a grinding means
holder via the hook-and-loop adaption layer 30.

[0058] In the embodiment that is shown in FIG. 1 the processing layer 20
consists of sharp-edged abrasive particles 22, that are embedded in a
resin or another sufficient adhesive agent that coats the burls 18. These
adhesive particles 22 consist for example of sand stone, pumice stone,
quartz, corundum, silicon carbide, diamond or similar hard materials. The
grinding- and cleaning-effect of the floor grinding- and cleaning-body 1
according to the invention can be adapted by the size of the abrasive
particles. For grinding of old PU-coatings from polymer floors
corresponding rough abrasive particles 22 of a particle size K120-K150
are used, and for the cleaning of polymer floors, that comprise little
walking marks and are over-maintained strongly, relatively fine abrasive
particles 22 with a particle size of K180-K400 or even more fine
particles are used. For floors made of natural stone, for example floors
made of marble, diamond has been proven as an advantageous coating means.

[0059] When the floor only shall be cleaned or polished, the floor
grinding- and cleaning-body 1 according to the invention can also be
provided with a coating without abrasive particles 24 on the textured and
respectively burled surface 12. This coating 24 may be for example a
resin coating without abrasive particles. This coating 24 can be realized
in an open-cell manner or in a fleece-like manner. It is also possible to
flock the surface 12 for instance with polyester or polyamide fibers in
order to clean or to polish the floor. A flocking with open-cell
particles made of melamine resin foam improves also the cleaning effect
of the grinding- and cleaning-body. Thereby, the burls reach also the
ground of fine structures of the flooring. With these coatings,
strong-adhering dirt and old wax-layers respectively can also be removed
very well from deepenings of the flooring without affecting the surface
of the flooring.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 5, it is also possible to coat the textured
surface 14 of the base body 10 with an adaptable abrasive particle
carrier 26 that is coated in return with abrasive particles 22. This
embodiment is in particular used for intensive cleaning- or
grinding-tasks, for which relatively rough abrasive particles 22 are
needed. The rough abrasive particles 22 can be fixed better to the
abrasive particle carrier 26 than to the base body 10 itself.
Furthermore, the abrasive particle carrier 26 provides the floor
grinding- and cleaning-body 1 with a better stability at the grinding
surface. Preferably, a fiber fleece is used as abrasive particle carrier
26.

[0061] FIG. 6 shows a floor grinding- and cleaning-body 1 wherein the base
body 10 consists of a resilient polymer material. Herein, the burls 18
are for example realized by a hollow, blow molded polymer material with
resilient bellows 19. These burls 18 can be coated with the different
processing layers 20, with or without abrasive particles 22, flocking 24
and respectively with and without abrasive particle carrier 26 as
described above. For such a floor grinding- and cleaning-body 1 an
optimum adaption of the single burls 18 in view of elasticity, shape and
arrangement onto the surface structure of the flooring to be processed is
possible. Also here a constant grinding pressure onto all surface areas
of the flooring is ensured.

[0062] Besides, the base body 10 and the processing layer 20 may also
consist of a resilient rubber-like material. The rubber-like material of
the base body 10 can be different to the material of the processing layer
20. But both layers can be also made of the same rubber-like material. A
preferred material is rubber-like polyurethane. In particular, the
processing layer 20 for itself or the processing layer 20 and the base
body 10 can be interspersed completely by abrasive particles 22. Thus,
the abrasive particles 22 are "rubber bounded" that means directly
inserted and embedded into the rubber-like elastic material, so that
coating processes can be omitted.

[0063] It should be mentioned that floor grinding- and cleaning-bodies 1
according to the invention are of course appropriate in the same way also
for processing of structured and plain polymer-, caoutchouc- and
wood-floors, in particular plank floors, marble- and fine stone floors.
Further applications of floor grinding- and cleaning-bodies 1 are the
grinding of uneven and structured surfaces for instance in the aircraft
manufacturing.

[0064] FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of a floor grinding- and
cleaning-body 1 according to the invention. In this embodiment the second
side 16 is not provided with a hook-and-loop adaption layer 30. This
embodiment is thus in particular appropriate for floor treating machines
that comprise one or more spinning discs. Therefore, the floor treating
machines (in particular a floor cleaning machine) can be simply put on
top of the floor grinding- and cleaning-body 1 that lies on the floor, so
that it is moved together by friction fit of the corresponding spinning
disc. In order to improve the friction the spinning disc can be provided
on its bottom side with bristles that intrude into the second side 16 of
the base body 10. A fixation via a hook-and-loop system is not necessary
in this case.

[0065] Floor grinding- and cleaning-bodies 1 according to the invention
are in particular appropriate for the use with such floor treating
machines but they can also be used with other grinding machines, for
instance with hand grinding machines. In every case, the outer shape of
the floor grinding- and cleaning-body 1 is then adapted to the shape of
the specific tool-holder of the grinding machine. Common shapes are
round, rectangular or the so called delta-format. For the use with single
disc floor processing machines the floor grinding- and cleaning-bodies 1
comprise a round shape and a diameter corresponding to the machine of 370
mm-500 mm.

[0066] The cross sectional views of FIGS. 8 and 9 show the physical
processes of burls 18 of the floor grinding- and cleaning-bodies 1 during
the processing of floorings 2. Therefore, FIG. 8 shows a flooring 2 with
an unsteady structured surface 3, perhaps in form of a shale- or
wood-surface. The height hs of the structures of the structured
surface are depending on the structure for instance in the range of
0.5-3.0 mm. The structured surface 3 comprises valleys 4, mountains 5 and
transitions 6.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 8, the tips 19, 19', 19'' of the burls 18, 18',
18'' always contact the surface 3 of the flooring 2, while the burl 18
actually passes a mountain 5, the burl 18' simultaneously processes a
transition 6 and burl 18'' contacts the ground of a valley 4. The
resilience of the base body 10 and the burl shape allow that the tips 17,
17', 17'' of the burls 18, 18', 18'' adapt themselves to the specific
surface structure and processes the surface 3 by means of the processing
layer 20 completely. Herein the tips 17, 17', 17'' move in some kind of a
roller coaster ride along the contour of the structured surface 3. In
general, ordinary plain grinding- or cleaning-bodies would contrary to
that--even when they are realized in a resilient manner--not reach the
ground of the valleys 4 and thus could only process the tips of the
mountains 5.

[0068] FIG. 9 shows a flooring 2 wherein the mountains 5 are realized as
round burls and the valleys are plain areas between the round burls and
the transitions 6 are in general cone-shaped surfaces of the round burls.
The height hR of the round burls is for instance in the range of
0.5-2.0 mm. As shown, the tip 17 of burl 18 actually processes the
transition 6 to a round burl 5, wherein simultaneously the tip 17' of the
burl 18' processes the ground of the valley 4 and the tip 17'' of the
burl 18'' processes the upper plain of the round burl 5. During the
relative movement of the grinding- and cleaning-body 1 in relationship to
the structured flooring 2 the burls 18, 18', 18'' are compressed
differently strong during their roller coaster ride over the surface 3
and contact with the processing layer 20 always the structured surface 3
such that not only the tips of the mountains 5 but also the valleys 4 can
be processed down to their bottom and the transitions 6.